FP update 5/15/25 – Baseball History + R

Hot Springs, Arkansas, is often called the "birthplace" of major league spring training, as it was the first location where teams began training in preparation for the season, starting in 1886. The Chicago White Stockings (now the Cubs) were the first major league team to train there, and many other teams soon followed, drawn by the thermal springs believed to have healing properties.

From the 1880s through the 1930s, many major-league teams sent their players to Hot Springs to “dry out” and take advantage of the area’s renowned therapeutic mineral baths. Famous players who were regulars in the Spa City included Babe Ruth, Cy Young, Honus Wagner, and even Jackie Robinson.Read more